


Two Sticks and Some String

by sophie_448



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Knitting, M/M, No Plot, complete and utter fluff, no redeeming features
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-03
Updated: 2013-10-03
Packaged: 2017-12-28 07:50:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/989564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophie_448/pseuds/sophie_448
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall decides to take up knitting. He ends up getting more than a new hobby when he visits his local yarn shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Sticks and Some String

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KateMonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateMonster/gifts).



> Happy Birthday to my amazing bff! I hope you enjoy this bit of ridiculousness. 
> 
> Many thanks to [cee_m](http://archiveofourown.org/users/cee_m) for the lightning fast beta!

The sign above the door reads "Practical Magic." There's also a picture of two knitting needles with sparks coming off the ends in looping shapes reminiscent of yarn. Niall grins, charmed by the touch of whimsy, and pushes the door open to enter the shop. The interior is small but well lit. Niall's primary impression is of color. Floor-to-ceiling shelves line the sales floor filled to bursting with every possible color and variety of yarn. It's like a really warm looking rainbow. Niall doesn't know a lot about yarn, so he doesn't have the vocabulary to describe what he's seeing beyond, "Yarn, lots of yarn." 

"Hello, is anyone here?" he calls, because a salesperson has not yet appeared, and he clearly needs help if he's going to continue any further down a path that includes yarn. There's a muffled cry and a loud thump around a small corner at the back of the shop that Niall didn't notice when he came in. He hurries toward it now, because that sounded potentially painful. 

Around the corner, Niall finds a bloke flat on his back at the foot of a small step ladder, partially buried under a pile of yarn. "You all right, mate?" he asks, concerned. The guy sits up, then gingerly gets to his feet, shaking his head a bit. He bounces on his toes a few times and swings his arms about. 

"Seem to be in once piece," he says, before finally turning to face Niall. "Oh, hello, you're not Perrie." 

Niall looks down at himself. "Not as far as I know," he agrees. "Who's Perrie?" 

"My partner in crime," the guy responds, then corrects himself. "No, no, that's not right. She's my partner in _business_. Her fiance's my partner in crime. Very important distinction. So, not-Perrie, I'm Louis, and this is my shop. How can I help you?" 

Niall blinks at the bloke--Louis, who's grinning at him in a somewhat manic fashion. He's got light brown hair sticking out every which way from his head--although Niall suspects that's more from his recent tumble than a styling choice--and an elfin face. He's about Niall's own height or a little shorter, and he's wearing an extremely bright rainbow sweater. "I'm Niall," he says, which is not the answer to the question Louis asked, but it seems awkward to carry on letting him call Niall "not-Perrie." 

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Niall," Louis says, seemingly not bothered that Niall hasn't answered his question. He stoops down and starts picking up the yarn that's still scattered across the floor. Niall moves to help him. "So can I interest you in some sock yarn? Socks make an excellent gift. I never wear them myself." He lifts the cuff of his trouser to indicate his bare ankle. "But they're aces for presents. 23,000 stitches I slaved over to create a garment for your feet!" He pulls a dramatic face, apparently for the benefit of his phantom sock recipient, before smiling at Niall expectantly. 

Niall looks at the skein Louis is holding out to him. "Um," he says, "that's probably ambitious for a first project, right?" 

Louis' jaw drops, and he looks absolutely delighted. "Are you a newbie?" he asks, grabbing Niall by the shoulders. "That's wonderful! I figured you were looking for a present for your nan or someone. Don't get a lot of fit young blokes in here wanting to learn, you know?" 

Niall can feel his cheeks pink up a bit at being called fit. He shrugs. "Well, there's you." 

Louis gets that delighted look on his face again, but with a slightly predatory gleam this time. "Well, my dear Niall," he says, "In knitting, as in most things, I am rather exceptional." He drops his armful of yarn into a box, presumably to sort out later, and leads Niall back towards the front of the shop. "Now, most people will say you should make a scarf or a pot holder for your first project, but most people are tragically, horribly mistaken. The best first project is obviously a hat." Louis pauses, looking expectantly at Niall. 

"All right," Niall says, unsure of what the desired response is, but sure he shouldn't say he thinks a scarf sounds nice and easy. 

Louis claps his hands, apparently taking that as Niall's commitment to hat making. "Excellent! What's your favorite color?" 

"Green." 

"Green," Louis says, "Okay, what kind of green? Forest green? Spring green? Mint green? Olive green?" 

Niall grins and gestures at the Ireland national team jersey he's wearing. "Irish green." 

Louis slaps his forehead laughing a little. "Of course, how stupid of me." He flits over to another shelf, muttering something to himself about greens. Niall shakes his head, a bit stunned that someone like Louis actually exists. After a moment, Louis returns to his side with two skeins of yarn in a color that closely matches his jersey. "How's that?" he asks. 

"Perfect," Niall says, reaching out to feel the texture of the yarn. 

"A nice merino will do you well to start," Louis says. 

Niall nods. "Now I just need to actually, you know, learn to knit." 

"We've got beginners classes every Thursday evening if you want to stop by." 

"Brilliant," Niall says, feeling a bit gladder than he should to have a reason to come by the shop again so soon. 

"Now let's just get you some needles and a pattern, and that's really all you need to get started. I should probably try to sell you on a how-to book, but really you can learn all you need to know on YouTube." Louis grabs a set of needles from a rack and motions Niall to follow him to the register. As he's keying in the code for the yarn, he looks at Niall speculatively. "So what made you decide to take up knitting anyway?" he asks. 

Niall shrugs. "I'm a bit restless," he says. "I get antsy watching a film or just sitting around. Need something to do with my hands. My mate Harry suggested knitting, and I thought, then at least I'd be making something instead of just fidgeting." 

Louis' smile this time is gentle, and Niall feels something contract in his chest. "Well, I'd say you've chosen well," he says. "You know, knitted items meet the human gold standard for items." 

Niall raises his eyebrows. "They do? How's that?" 

"They're both beautiful and useful." Louis waggles his eyebrows suggestively, even though there's nothing suggestive about his comment. 

Niall giggles a bit. "That's nice," he says. "I like it." 

"You'd better," Louis says, some of the playful sharpness returning to his tone. "It's one of my most important life philosophies." 

Niall slides his card through the reader, and they're distracted for a moment with finishing the transaction. Louis pulls the receipt from the register, but he doesn't immediately hand it to Niall. Instead, he flips it over, reaches for a Sharpie, and scrawls a string of numbers across the back. He blows on the digits quickly the dry them, then presses the receipt into Niall's hand, letting the touch linger just a moment beyond casual. 

"Call me if you want some personal instruction," he says, his voice low and intimate. And the eyebrow waggle is not at all unwarranted this time. 

Niall can feel himself blushing again, and he stammers a bit as he answers, "Yeah. Yeah, I definitely will." 

Louis surprises him by leaning across the counter and planting a smacking his on his cheek. He leans back before Niall can even process what's happened. "Excellent!" he says. "Have a wonderful day, Niall-definitely-not-Perrie. I know I will." 

Niall nods and takes his bag, knowing he's bright red by this point. "See ya, Louis," he says, waving vaguely. He steps back outside, feeling more than a little stunned. He walks a little way down the pavement then pauses to look at the receipt that's still clutched tightly in his hand, blinking at the bold black line of numbers. He's not a bit sorry about it, he thinks with a smile, but he's clearly gotten more than he bargained for when he decided to take up knitting.


End file.
